Abstract

Intestinal Parasites, Malaria and Anemia
among School Children in Some Flood
Affected Areas of Ogbaru Local Government
Anambra State, Nigeria

An epidemiological study was carried out on school children in some flood affected areas of Ogbaru local government Anambra state Nigeria to assess their
health and environment after the 2011/2012 flood. Four hundred and eighty
primary school children were examined for intestinal parasite, malaria parasite
and anaemia. Formol acetate concentration method was used to analyse the
stool samples for intestinal parasites. Giemsia’s staining technique was used for
malaria parasite test, while Haematocrit packed cell volume capillary method and
cyanmethaemoglobin method were used to screen for anaemia. Fifty two point
five (52.5%) percent were infected with one or more of the intestinal parasites.
Eighty six point four six percent (86.46%) were infected with malaria parasite,
while 55.21% were anaemic (hemoglobin <11 g/dl). Ascaris lumbricoides was
the highest (29.20%) intestinal parasites obtained while Hymenolepis nana was
least (2.35%). The highest rate of intestinal parasite infection was seen in the age
group10-13 years (52.54%) and the least was from 14-17 years (49.02%). Intestinal
parasites were more in females (51.29%) than in males (48.08%). The highest rate
of infection with malaria parasite was seen among the ages of 6-9years (89.83%)
while 10-13 years and 14-17 years had a prevalence of 85.17% and 85.62%
respectively. Malaria infection was more prevalent in males (45.83%) than females
(40.63%). The highest prevalence of anaemia was seen between the ages of 10-
13 (57.77%) and the least 14-17 (52.29%). Forty seven point five percent of the
children had both malaria parasite and anaemia. There was significant association
between PCV of malaria infected children and non infected children (p<0.05).
These findings suggest that this area has some major public health challenges
therefore the need for adequate measures to remedy the situation and avoid
epidemics.